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Community Service Orders in Federal Probation: Perceptions of Probationers and Host Agencies

NCJ Number
126408
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 54 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1990) Pages: 8-14
Author(s)
Allen G F; H Treger
Date Published
1990
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes from the perspective of the offenders a study of Federal probationers who received court-ordered community service (CSO) in the Northern District of Illinois. It uses rehabilitation, deterrence, desert, and justice as models of the criminal justice system to evaluate the programs.
Abstract
Seventy-three probationers and program operators in 38 agencies were interviewed to obtain information regarding the characteristics of CSO probationers; their perceptions of the CSO; tasks performed by CSO probationers; comparison of offenders with non-offender volunteers; and host agency characteristics, experiences, and recommendations. Results of the study show that community service in the Northern District of Illinois is effective and is perceived primarily as rehabilitative rather than punitive by both probationers and host agency operators. Recommendations are presented regarding selection, placement, and monitoring of CSO programs and for further research studies. 3 notes and 14 references